The Korea Startup Forum's Defense Industry Council, launched to advance artificial intelligence (AI) transformation and strategic capabilities in the defense sector, held its "K-Defense Cooperation Meeting" at a conference room in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 29th, the council said on the 30th.
The meeting was the first event held since the council officially launched last month, with about 20 officials from member companies attending, including major member firms of the Defense Industry Council. The council currently has 19 participating companies. At the meeting, members shared the council's key activity plans, and each member company introduced its business information.
In the second half of this year, the council plans to focus on policy recommendations to improve regulations that hinder the growth of defense startups and to innovate the national defense procurement system, while pursuing defense-specialized investment attraction and creating proof-of-concept (PoC) opportunities. In particular, in line with the government's drive to foster new security innovation companies, the council will convey the voices of defense startups on the ground to relevant ministries, including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
"AI sovereignty comes not from building every technology directly, but from the capability to decide for ourselves which technologies to use and how, and to secure the necessary control in that process," said council chair Yoon Sung-ho, CEO of MakinaRocks. "I hope the Korea Startup Forum's Defense Industry Council becomes a practical channel that supports decision-making power in the use of AI technology in Korea's defense sector."
Council chair Lee Do-kyung, CEO of Bon.AI, said, "The council will raise a substantive voice in lowering the regulatory and procurement barriers that defense startups face." He added, "We will serve as a solid foundation so that member companies can fully demonstrate their technological capabilities and settle into the defense ecosystem."
